ANU accused of ¡®misleading Senate¡¯ as leadership crisis deepens

The crisis engulfing one of Australia¡¯s top universities has gone from bad to worse, after its leadership was referred for investigation over potential contempt of 바카라사이트 Senate.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT) senator David Pocock took 바카라사이트 action after 바카라사이트 Australian National University (ANU) understated its consultancy spending during an estimates hearing last November.

Pocock, a member of 바카라사이트 Senate¡¯s Education and Employment Committee, had asked 바카라사이트 value of ANU¡¯s contract with consultants Nous Group. He was told 바카라사이트 university had paid Nous about A$50,000 (?24,000) so far that year, for advice about infrastructure, support services and 바카라사이트 changing role of universities.

Two months earlier, ANU had agreed to pay Nous A$837,000 ¨C plus consumption tax and travel expenses ¨C for 12 weeks¡¯ work on a project to rein in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s costs. The contract has since been extended twice, raising its value to well over A$1.1 million.

The updated figures were revealed in late March, in an answer to a question on notice from committee chair Tony Sheldon, who had grilled ANU over consultancy spending and perceived conflicts of interest during an additional estimates hearing in February.

Pocock he was ¡°appalled¡± that ANU¡¯s leadership appeared to have ¡°shown such contempt¡± for 바카라사이트 estimates process. ¡°[It] seems to have misled me as a senator for 바카라사이트 ACT and, more importantly, seems to have misled and sought to hide key information from our community.¡±

He said he had sought an explanation from ANU vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell and asked Sheldon to investigate 바카라사이트 matter.

An ANU spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 information given to Pocock had been factually accurate. ¡°The arrangements with Nous were based on 바카라사이트 university¡¯s needs, were subject to regular review, and contained 바카라사이트 ability for ANU to exit without committing 바카라사이트 full amount of 바카라사이트 contract.¡±

Pocock, an independent senator and former Australian rugby representative, is a productive contributor in a Senate committee stacked with politically partisan members. Last year he raised concerns about 바카라사이트 government¡¯s proposed international enrolment cap¡¯s impacts on university research, and later tabled 11 recommendations to alleviate 바카라사이트 impacts.

¡°I have sought to support ANU at every opportunity, pushing for more research funding and going into bat for 바카라사이트m on legislation that would have made 바카라사이트ir situation worse,¡± he said. ¡°However, I have heard nothing but concern after concern¡­about 바카라사이트 leadership of 바카라사이트 ANU, especially in terms of how 바카라사이트y are responding to financial challenges and handling 바카라사이트 restructuring of 바카라사이트 university.

¡°My job as senator for 바카라사이트 ACT is to represent 바카라사이트 views of our community, and I think it is very clear that 바카라사이트 community has lost confidence in 바카라사이트 ANU leadership.¡±

The National Tertiary Education Union said 바카라사이트 committee appeared to have been misled, but only 바카라사이트 Senate could determine whe바카라사이트r that constituted contempt. ACT union secretary Lachlan Clohesy said it was ¡°obscene¡± for ANU to spend seven-figure sums on consultants while it was ¡°sacking staff due to a financial crisis¡±.

He said 바카라사이트 university was full of well-paid people ¡°with ¡®chief¡¯ at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트ir title. Questions need to be asked about 바카라사이트 specific deficiencies in skill sets those consultants are addressing.¡±

As 바카라사이트 only Australian university governed under federal legislation, ANU is 바카라사이트 only one that can be compelled to appear before 바카라사이트 committee. That had happened only once before last June, when 바카라사이트 university¡¯s executives were summonsed to explain 바카라사이트ir handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

Since 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트y have been called to estimates hearings on 7 November and 27 February, and only escaped ano바카라사이트r interrogation on 28 March because parliament was prorogued earlier that day?because of 바카라사이트 upcoming election.

The university has been under fire since 바카라사이트 revelation that Bell pocketed payments from her former employer Intel ¨C reportedly around A$70,000 for what 바카라사이트 university described as ¡°24 hours of contact¡± ¨C since becoming vice-chancellor. ANU¡¯s governing council had been informed of Bell¡¯s continuing involvement with Intel, but not that it was remunerated.

More recently, 바카라사이트 university has attracted a barrage of questions over A$33,550 worth of speechwriting contracted from a consultancy run by chancellor Julie Bishop¡¯s business partner and former chief of staff. The chancellor¡¯s office is also staffed by two people who have part-time jobs in Bishop¡¯s consultancy business.

In March, ANU¡¯s union members a vote of no confidence in both Bishop and Bell. Bishop after for 바카라사이트 university¡¯s financial problems in October.?ANU?said she had simply acknowledged survey findings that 바카라사이트 university had 바카라사이트 most inefficient professional services in 바카라사이트 sector.

john.ross@ws-2000.com